S3533
STEVENS, William James
| Service Numbers: | 190, S213584 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 16 September 1914, Morphettville, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 9th Light Horse Regiment |
| Born: | Parkside, SA, 15 December 1892 |
| Home Town: | St Peters (SA), Norwood Payneham St Peters, South Australia |
| Schooling: | St Peter's College, Hackney SA |
| Occupation: | Clerk |
| Memorials: | Hackney St Peter's College Honour Board, St. Peters East Adelaide Public School Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 16 Sep 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 190, 9th Light Horse Regiment, Morphettville, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 12 Feb 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 190, 9th Light Horse Regiment, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '2' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Armadale embarkation_ship_number: A26 public_note: '' | |
| 12 Feb 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 190, 9th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Armadale, Melbourne | |
| 16 May 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 190, 9th Light Horse Regiment, ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 25 Dec 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 9th Light Horse Regiment | |
| 26 Dec 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Sergeant, 9th Light Horse Regiment | |
| 16 May 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 9th Light Horse Regiment | |
| 30 Oct 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 9th Light Horse Regiment | |
| 1 Feb 1918: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 9th Light Horse Regiment | |
| 22 Oct 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 9th Light Horse Regiment |
World War 2 Service
| 15 Apr 1940: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , S213584 | |
|---|---|---|
| 27 Jun 1940: | Promoted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Lieutenant | |
| 10 Jun 1943: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (WW2) , S213584 |
Help us honour William James Stevens's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Faithe Jones
Son of William Marshall STEVENS and Jessie nee CROZHUR of Marlborough Street, St. Peters, SA
Biography contributed by St Ignatius' College
William James Stevens was born on December 15, 1892, in Adelaide, South Australia. He grew up in St. Peters, South Australia, where he attended East Adelaide Primary School and St. Peter’s College. His parents were called William Marshal Stevens and Jessie Crozhur. Before the war he worked as a Clerk.
At the age of 21 William enlisted 16 September 1914. He completed training until February 12, 1915, when William embarked from Melbourne aboard the HMAT Armadale. William proceeded to join the Mediterranean Force 16th May 1915 and was promoted to Sergeant. While serving at Gallipoli he was hospitalised in Mudros with influenza on 24th June and returned to duty on 4th July 1915. He developed pneumonia a couple of months later and was treated in hospital from 9th September 1915. It is unclear from his service record whether he returned to Gallipoli.
From 1916 – 1918 William served in Egypt, Palestine and Syria.
He was promoted to Lance Corporal in January 1916. He caught the mumps and was treated at the 4th Auxiliary Hospital at Heliopolis. He returned to duty at the start of February. In April he was hospitalised with an infection from 17th April – 22nd June 1916 and after he was discharged, he joined the 3rd Light Horse Regiment. He was taken on strength with the 9th Light Horse 23rd August 1916. William’s efforts then led to his promotion to temporary Corporal in September 1916.
On December 23, 1916, a victory for Australia and the British came during the Battle of Magdhaba against the Turks in the Sinai Desert. Following the battle, William gained multiple promotions, becoming a Permanent Corporal on December 25, 1916, a Lance Sergeant on December 26, 1916, and a Temporary Sergeant on January 8, 1917.
During 1917 William fought at the first and second battles of Gaza. He permanently gained the rank of Sergeant on May 16, 1917. He also fought in the Es Salt Raid. Es Salt, a village in Palestine 23k to the west of Amman. In late 1917 William attended the Imperial School of Instruction in Zeitoun and then returned to the 9th Light Horse Regiment.
In 1918 William was further promoted to Lieutenant on 1st February and detached to Scout School in El Arish the following month. In April he rejoined the 9th Light Horse Regiment and then marched into Headquarters on 21st May. On the 21st of June 1918, William James was seconded for duty as an intelligence officer for the remainder of the war.
William returned to Australia on the HT Dunluce Castle embarking from Cairo 18th July 1919. He arrived back in Adelaide 23rd August 1919.
After the war, William moved to Broken Hill, New South Wales. In 1924, he lost his discharge papers, which were accidentally left in the trunk of a car.
He enlisted for WW2 in April 1940 at the age of 42. He was married to Dorothy who lived in Carrington St Adelaide at the time of his enlistment, but their permanent address was near Broken Hill. William’s occupation was now, Business Manager. William served in South Australia and Alice Springs and was promoted to Captain and then Major. He served in WW2 for 282 days. He was discharged 22nd January 1943.
Bibliography
Adfa.edu.au. (2024). Details [online] Available at: https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=287974 [Accessed 23 Mar. 2025].
Awm.gov.au. (2016). 9th Australian Light Horse Regiment. [online] Available at: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/U51043.
Awm.gov.au. (2025). Regimental Standard of the Turkish 80th Infantry Regiment captured at Magdhaba, 1916. [online] Available at: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C134965?image=1 [Accessed 23 Mar. 2025].
Birtwistlewiki.com.au. (2023). HMHS Dunluce Castle - Our Contribution. [online] Available at: https://birtwistlewiki.com.au/wiki/HMHS_Dunluce_Castle [Accessed 23 Mar. 2025].
vwma.org.au. (n.d.). Virtual War Memorial. [online] Available at: https://vwma.org.au/explore/campaigns/57.
Wikipedia Contributors (2025). Battle of Romani. Wikipedia.
www.awm.gov.au. (n.d.). It's Salt Raid. [online] Available at: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/E84824.